In order to allow enthusiasts of skiing to exercise and practice at times when there is no snow or insufficient snow, recourse has been had to so-called artificial ski paths. One such path (see French Pat. 2,172,916) is formed as a chain of like track elements. Each track element is generally W-shaped in cross section and therefore forms a path having a pair of parallel ruts along which the skiier slides his skis. These track elements are made of polyvinyl chloride and are secured together by rods, cables or ropes so as to form a chain that can conform its shape generally to that of the terrain over which it is lain.
It is also known to use such an artificial path on a ski jump (see German Pat. No. 2,043,395). Depending on the type of connector member used to chain together the individual track elements, such ski paths are laid either as sections which are secured together or are simply rolled out (see French Pat. No. 1,349,398 and U.S. Pat. No. 3,233,893).